North Platte can lay claim to one of the best coaching staff in the state.
The school in Dearborn saw cross country coach Brendan Cary named the MSHSAA coach of the year and now girls track and field coach Matt Keraus was named the association's coach of the year for track and field.
The news was released on Oct. 4, meaning the Panthers staff swept both awards for the 2022-23 school year.
Keraus guided the Panthers to a runner-up finish in 2021 and won a state championship in 2022. They added another this past May.
The Class 2 girls team title came down to the last race at the MSHSAA Class 2 Track and Field Championships at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City.
The 4x400-meter relay -- the final race of the two-day meet -- was essentially a winner-take-all all, times two.
Win the race, win the title.
North Platte, the defending Class 2 champions, entered the final race with 76 points - one more than Father Tolton Catholic. That meant, whoever placed higher in the final race would win the title.
North Platte built an early lead from Graci Williams on the first leg. Lindsay Ramsey, Kalli Schuster and Olivia Rogers followed.
Rogers, a Missouri State signee, crossed the finish line to give the Panthers a time of 4:03.22 and the state championship to go with the 4x400-meter relay title.
Keraus joined us to discuss the award and what it mean for him and the program.
North Platte's Jessa Cassity hands the baton to Brianna DeBord as the Lady Panthers run to a 2nd-place finish in the 2023 Class 2 4x800 in 10:00.75 North Platte was bested by only Tolton Catholic, whom they defeated in the team battle.
Olivia Rogers runs to victory in the 2023 Class 2 Girls 100-meter dash prelims in 12.35. Rogers followed with a victory in the final the next day in 12.34.
Lindsay Ramsey sprints to the 400-meter dash title in 56.93.
North Platte senior Olivia Rogers (left, #5) races to victory in the 2023 Class 2 Girls 200-meter dash ahead of Lutheran North's Genesis Garner (center, #4), 25.34 to 25.66. Jefferson (Festus)' Margaret Wrigley (back left, #6) placed 3rd while North Platte's Lindsay Ramsey (right) placed 4th to give the Panthers 15 points in the event and jump back into the lead over Tolton Catholic.
